1UP's Favorite Games of 2012: New Super Mario Bros. 2

A solid platformer that shines in its exploration of Mario's alternate reality.

By Jeremy Parish, 12/26/2012

Video games can be many things to many people, so the idea of proclaiming a single one as the best of 2012 strikes us as a little limiting. This year, instead of screaming at each other for hours in a sweaty, smoke-filled room until we emerge with a handful of winners, your friends at 1UP have decided to forsake categorization and write about the experiences that brought us the most enjoyment this year -- and that's the point of playing video games, isn't it?

Jeremy: It's kind of weird to write about a new Mario platformer as being one of my favorite games of the year and have to specify which one. When was the last time that happened? And they've never been quite so similar. So which New Super Mario Bros. game did I settle on (two seems like overkill)? Ultimately, I had to go with New Super Mario Bros. 2 over New Super Mario Bros. U, even if the latter is arguably (OK, definitely) the better game.

Why? Well, NSMBU may be the more creative take on the classic Mario style, but I found NSMB2 to be the more interesting one. Not only did the level design frequently defy rote Mario conventions, but the entire emphasis on collecting coins made a big difference to the overall purpose of the game. Granted, gathering those million coins doesn't do much -- you unlock a fancy trophy, basically -- but it inspired the creation of Coin Rush mode, which completely changes the nature of Mario.

Coin Rush basically turns Mario into a classic arcade experience, a test of virtual athleticism. With only a single life and a sharp time limit in which to clear a trio of stages, each Coin Rush collection forces you to play NSMB2 in a completely different manner than the standard casual, exploratory approach the games usually foster. Ever since the Super Mario Bros. 2 schism -- the hard-mode Japanese game versus to meandering quest we saw in America -- there's been something of a divide between "sandbox" Mario and "challenging" Mario. Nintendo has predominantly explored the former style, with the latter mostly existing as optional post-game content in EAD Tokyo's games over the past few years. But NSMB2 embraces both branches of Mario design equally, using the coin-collecting meta-game as a unifying feature that ties them both together in a single game.

Even better, Coin Rush itself has proven an evolutionary concept, its own nature changing as NSMB2 "matures" and gamers' relationship with the game developed following its launch. What started as a set of simple arcade-inspired challenges has grown considerably deeper, allowing the NSMB2 team to express their own creative takes on the game. While gamers still choke on their bile at the idea of post-release downloadable content, NSMB2's Coin Rush packs do it right: They're wholly optional and don't affect the core game experience of beating Bowser, but they don't feel frivolous. And because Nintendo didn't start designing those add-on stages until after the game was launched, they weren't simply content held back for cynical exploitation; rather, they were thoughtfully tailored to reflect the player feedback and the overall growth of NSMB2. NSMBU may have Miiverse -- and god bless it for that -- but NSMB2 has proven to be a living, organic game experience unlike anything Nintendo has ever created before. If paid DLC is to be an unavoidable facet of gaming, this is definitely the way to go about it.

Comments (11)

I was
Posted: Mar 06, 2013 12:00AM PST by ngamer-90

Surprised at how addictive the coin collecting was. It was really addictive to try and get 1 million coins. Yep I did it but I'm still playing it. No matter what, Mario games are still fun.

Flag | Reply

I was surprised
Posted: Dec 31, 2012 12:00AM PST by octoberfleshed

by how much I ended up liking the coin rush packs, then again, I thought they were all worth buying in the first place, so I guess I didn't have to be swung too much.

Flag | Reply

Thanks for "getting it," Jeremy!
Posted: Dec 28, 2012 12:00AM PST by D-e-f-

Seriously, I feel all I hear about the game is "bah bah, same ol' same ol'" when there's actually so much cool stuff in this game. I couldn't be bothered to fully complete the original NSMB as well as NSMBWii but I gladly four-starred NSMB2 (getting 999-lives for the final star seems kind of ridiculous and pointless, though) and even purchased all but the final DLC packs (will buy that one later). Coins coins coins coins. I never cared for coins in Mario games unless I happened to notice my coin count being in the upper 80s, indicating that a 1UP(.com?) was within reach. Since playing NSMB2 and picking up NSMBU, I'm immediately drawn to those shiny golden coins, wherever they might be. I feel compelled to collect them whenever I see them and I finally learned to "read" them as possible hints or guides to secret areas.
Besides, blasting fools as Gold Flower Mario in those Gold Rush DLC courses is just the best! :-)

Flag | Reply

Despite the negative press and opinions...
Posted: Dec 27, 2012 12:00AM PST by jeffokiecorry

I have found it to be fun and enjoyable. I do wish the art design would have been more imaginative than a simple rehash, as well as the music. But, I have enjoyed the game so far. The biggest problem I have with it is the flood of Mario titles. I feel like I still have much to get out of Super Mario Galaxy, but before I could thoroughly "learn" the game (even though I did get 120 stars) Galaxy 2 came out, as well as New Super Mario Bros. Wii, (not in that order) then we have NSMB2 and NSMBU in the SAME year.
I am still figuring out Super Mario World on the SNES...It just seems that this is TOO much of a good thing. Not one of these games is bad, but I can't enjoy them all when they are flooding out.
Such is the life of a gamer though...;)

Flag | Reply

You know.
Posted: Dec 27, 2012 12:00AM PST by sean697

If you didnt like this, you just werent a Mario fan to begin with. This game has great levels and gameplay. Worlds better than New Super Mario Bros. And I dont know why people bash New Super Mario Bros Wii as well. I honestly think that those who do havent played it eigther. That game is really better than New Super Mario World. If anything the first DS one gave the others a bad name. They should have jetisoned the NEW title for these games. Anyway the only thing I didnt like about this game actually was coin rush. Although I havent tried the DLC levels yet. That mode just didnt appeal to me.

Flag | Reply
- Incorrect.
  Posted: Jan 01, 2013 12:00AM PST by Vrikk
  
  Saying if we don't like this it means that we don't like Mario is wrong. People can simply be tired of the gameplay being repeated over and over again, especially since the series has been innovating in charming ways lately that makes us forget that at its core Mario is still the exact same.
  
  Flag

easy way
Posted: Dec 27, 2012 12:00AM PST by jml13004

it being the 4th «new» smb in a short while makes me think that Nintendo is not willing to take risks at the moment and i find it kind of disappointing to be honest. the games are good, we all know that mario games are finely crafted, but the «new» series already feels old to me . it is pretty much the same game with new levels in the same worlds. throw in a new powerup and a challenge mode and call it à day ? meh

Flag | Reply

Funny, that...
Posted: Dec 27, 2012 12:00AM PST by LBD_Nytetrayn

Lately, I've been wanting to play NSMB2 more after NSMBU, almost like a supplemental experience. And in doing so, I've felt more forgiving of the flaws I found in it originally.
It's kind of weird that way.

Flag | Reply

Coin Rush is not enough to save this bland, easy game
Posted: Dec 27, 2012 12:00AM PST by VeryMadMage

And it also make playing any other mode pointless because you get so many more coins in coin rush.

But when you get right down to it, NSMB 2 is the worst 'main series' Mario game ever. If I wanted to play an arcade style game, I'd play one that challenged me at least slightly

Flag | Reply

lol
Posted: Dec 26, 2012 12:00AM PST by heroman

Defnitely wasn't expecting THIS to make the list... or any list.

Flag | Reply

Title of Comment
Posted: Dec 26, 2012 12:00AM PST by roto13

Bu-bu-but NSMB2 is a rehash of NSMB1 and NSMBWii! You can tell because it uses the same level themes and everyone knows that wallpaper is EVERYTHING!

Flag | Reply